Similar story, but I got the stares of a whole roomful of people. I was in the TV room of my college dormitory, and a football game was on (American football). In college you're supposed to know about this game, because it's the ultimate college game. Just about every college has a team. In addition there are the professional teams that you're supposed to follow. Not me! I was a city girl and understood only baseball. What was going on on the TV screen that day seemed strangely static to me. Everyone did a lot of standing around on the field. At one point, the announcer said, "First down." A moment later, I asked, "What's a down?"

You can't imagine the long-suffering looks everyone gave me. I thought they'd tell the administration that I didn't deserve to attend that college!

After all those years, I still don't know what a down is, so don't ask. I have never watched an entire football game, either live or on TV. I don't root for a team. I'm so glad I found figure skating! Even when there's stuff I don't know or understand, I still love watching it.

LOL. American football bores me to tears, but it's fun to play deliberately ignorant. After a team goes through its four downs and either scores or kicks it back to the other team, I've been known to say, "That was a really good inning for them, wasn't it?"--just to enjoy the incredulous stares/looks/comments I'll get. And if people think IJS is confusing, they should try to fathom some of the more arcane rules of American football and baseball.